Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Manhattan Elevator Malfunction Injures 22

Fox New York: 22 people were hurt when an elevator plunged from the fourth floor to the basement in a Manhattan building. The FDNY was called to a five-story building at 620 6th Ave. in the Flatiron section just after 7 a.m. on Wednesday morning.

24 carpenters working in the building were taking a freight elevator up in a building that houses a TJ Maxx, Filene's Basement and Bed, Bath and Beyond store. It suddenly plunged all the way to the bottom of the shaft.

Rescue personnel were able to quickly get everyone out of the elevator. 10 of the injuries are called minor. At least nine of the injuries are being called more serious. Several of the workers suffered neck and back injuries and were strapped to boards as a precaution.

The injured were transported to Beth Israel and Bellevue Hospitals. The building where the accident happened is a historic structure, built in the late 1890s as the Siegel Cooper Dry Goods Store. It was turned into a commercial building in the 1990s after being used as a warehouse for decades. City inspectors are investigating what went wrong.